The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicle roof structure and vehicle occupant protection. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle structure bridge for reinforcing a B-Pillar of a motor vehicle to facilitate enhanced roof strength.
In a conventional motor vehicle as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of pillar assemblies 1 which are located on a left side and a right side of a vehicle body along a lengthwise direction of the body, function to support a roof 2 at a predetermined height from a floor and to hold front and rear doors 3 and 4 each of which is installed between two pillar assemblies 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, among the plurality of pillar assemblies 1, an example of a center pillar assembly which connects the roof 2 and the floor with each other between the front and rear doors 3 and 4, is illustrated.
As can be readily seen from FIG. 2, the center pillar assembly of the prior art includes outer and inner panels 6 and 11 which are joined with each other in such a way as to delimit a closed space therebetween and connect the roof 2 and the floor with each other, and a reinforcing panel 8 which is disposed in the closed space defined between the outer and inner panels 6 and 11 in such a way as to reinforce rigidity of the center pillar assembly.
The outer panel 6 has an upper end portion 7 and a lower end portion which are integrated with a side frame of the vehicle body. The upper end portion 7 of the outer panel 6 is formed in a manner such that it projects outward and upward to correspond to a contour of an upper portion of the side frame. A flange portion which is formed on an upper end of the outer panel 6, is joined to a flange portion of a roof panel 15.
The inner panel 11 is joined, below the roof panel 15, to a surface of a roof rail member 17 which is opposed to the upper portion of the side frame to delimit the closed space, and extends downward toward the floor. The inner panel 11 cooperates with the outer panel 6 to define the closed space.
As described above, the reinforcing panel 8 is disposed in the close space which is delimited by the outer and inner panels 6 and 11, so as to reinforce rigidity of the center pillar assembly against external force.
Also, an anchor nut plate 13 for fastening a seat belt anchor nut is placed between the reinforcing panel 8 and the inner panel 11, adjacent to the upper end of the center pillar assembly.
In the center pillar constructed as mentioned above, external force which is applied to the center pillar assembly is absorbed by the reinforcing panel 8 which is disposed in the closed space defined between the outer and inner panels 6 and 11.
Vehicle manufacturers are implementing aluminum as the material used for their vehicle body structures in order to reduce overall vehicle weight. Aluminum has different performance characteristics from the traditional Dual Phase Steel that is used in vehicle structures. However, in improving roof strength of a vehicle structure while reducing the vehicle weight, the inner panel 11 requires significant support as loads (such as roof loads) are applied on a vehicle structure.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide adequate support to the inner panel 11 as it experiences loads incurred at the vehicle roof while at the same time, maintaining a low vehicle weight or reducing overall vehicle weight.